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How to Develop and Market Online Programs For Growth

Adult Learner Recruitment


3Using Zoom

Type your question here

Asking a Question Brief Exit Survey

We’d appreciate your feedback on today’s presentation.



We help schools

support students

from enrollment to

graduation and beyond

P-20 | Community Colleges | Four-Year Colleges and Universities | Graduate and Adult Learning

Find and enroll your

right-fit students

Prepare your institution

for the future

Support and graduate

more students

ROOTED IN RESEARCH

8,000+ Peer-tested best practices

500+ Enrollment innovations tested annually

ADVANTAGE OF SCALE

2,100+ Institutions served

9.5 M+ Students supported by our SSMS

WE DELIVER RESULTS

95% Of our partners continue with us year after year, reflecting the goals we achieve together



5EAB’s Adult Learner Recruitment

Program

Review and

Optimization

Program

IQ

Audience

Generation

and Targeting

Intent Marketing

for the Student

Journey

Yield and

Enrollment

Management

DATA & CONSUMER ANALYTICS AT SCALE

Student interactions analyzed annually

1.5B+

Data and analytics experts on staff

100+

Field marketing tests performed annually

500+

Our strategic enrollment solution combines intent marketing and strategic services to fuel adult learner growth.

Custom market demand briefs completed since 2012

7000+



6

Today’s Presenters

Will Lamb, Ph.D.

Dean, Graduate and Adult Learner Recruitment


EAB Enrollment Services

Tess Wallenstein

Associate Director


EAB Enrollment Services



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Adult Learners Make Up 40% ofTotal Higher Ed Tuition Revenue

How Big is the Adult and Grad Ed Market?

Source: IPEDS Data Center, National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.; “Postsecondary Institution Revenues,” NCES The Condition of

Education, 2018.; EAB interviews and analysis.

$225.9B

$90.7B

$135.2B

Adult and Grad Ed

Traditional Undergraduate

1) Bachelor’s degree-level and above

2) Tuition discounts not included in analysis

3) Includes first-time adult students, second bachelor’s students, and non-degree seekers

Higher Ed1 Gross Annual Revenue2, 2019

Total Tuition Revenue

Support the Whole Team

Member Invest in Productive 1:1

Time with Team Members

Engage in Real-Time Feedback and Coaching

Communicate Consistently and

Frequently

$14.6B

$15.9B

$14.6B

$43.8B Other Adult Bachelor’s3

$780MAll Grad Certificates (Post-Bacc and Post-Master’s)

Master’s Degrees

Total Gross Annual U.S. Revenue Generated from Adult (25+) Bachelor’s, Post-Bac Certificates, and Graduate Enrollment, 18-19

Adult Degree Completer

Professional Doctorate

Master’s Degrees By Far the Biggest Market Overall



8Online Is A Fast-Growing Piece Of This Market

1) Recorded as “Distance Education” in IPEDS data.

Online

+280KTotal Increase in Graduate Students

+6.7%Average Annual Growth

5-Year Graduate Enrollment Growth Trends, 2014-2019

Face-to-Face

-194KTotal Decrease in Graduate Students

-2.0%Average Annual Decline

I will be getting my master’s online now. COVID has shown me how to do that.”

- Survey Participant

60%of surveyed students who participated in online learning during the pandemic said online learning was a positive experience

39.2%of survey respondents said they are considering online programs

The Pandemic’s Impact on Online Learning



9

Today’s Focus

Admin. Support

Faculty Buy-In

Program Fit

Intellectual Property Policies

Program Approval

Tech Support

Student Services

Accreditation

Instructional Design

Technology

Marketing

LMS

Program DesignData

Tracking



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SECTION

1

Developing High-Quality Online Programs



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Live Poll

What challenge do you most commonly encounter when identifying which programs to offer online?

• Assessing employer and student demand for a program

• Identifying competitor programs

• Achieving buy-in from relevant faculty

• Navigating the program approval process

• Other (please tell us in the chat)



12Finding Right-Fit Programs to Launch Online

Require Data-Driven Market Analysis Prior to Launch

Prioritize Rigorous Labor Market Demand Analysis

Assess real-time labor market data

1

Assess structural labor market data

2

Questions to Ask About Labor Market Data

What degree level is necessary to obtain in-demand jobs?

Is employer demand apparent in target geographic markets?

What is the expected growth rate of students’ target industry or occupation?

What salaries can program graduates expect to earn in our target markets?



13Be Mindful of the Limitations of Student Demand Data

Sources of Student Demand Data Include…

Degree completions Student surveys

Lagging indicator

Imperfect CIP code matches

Unreliable

Interest does not necessarily translate into enrollments

When Analyzing Student Demand Data, Consider…

Is student demand evident in our target geographic markets?

Does data support student interest in an online program specifically?

How could economic or policy changes impact

student demand?



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Ensure Competitor Analysis Includes Regional and National Competitors

Online Programs Face Competition from Regional and National Players

Regional Player

• Strong regional brand affinity• Large online and on-ground presence• Low cost or elite brand

Market Leader

• Strong national brand awareness• Massive online scale• Low cost

Are there regional or national competitors you are overlooking?



15Review Competitor Programs Holistically

Consider These Questions When Analyzing Competitor Programs

Electives and “Stackability”

How do competitor programs support students’ needs and preferences for flexibility?

Prerequisites What is the minimum education needed to succeed?

Is your time to completion as short as it can be while still conferring necessary skills?

Program Length

Do competitors offer multiple start dates?StartsStartsStarts

How do your tuition and fees compare to your competitors’?Pricing

What are your competitors not offering which could help your program stand out?



16Achieving Faculty Buy-In

Common Faculty Concerns About Online Instruction and Learning

What other concerns do your faculty have about online education?

Feel free to share in the Chat.

Technical expertise

Student experienceCourse quality

Workload, especially upfront



17Addressing Faculty’s Concerns

Listen to faculty’s concerns and questions about online programs

Share how online course quality will match on-campus course quality

Provide the technical support faculty need to confidently teaching online

Ensure faculty know they have an advocate



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Avoiding Duplication of Audiences

Using Dedicated Committees

Expediting Program Launch

Speed-to-Launch Alone is Insufficient for Substantial Revenue Gains

More than 24 months6-24 monthsLess than 6 months

Activities Correlated with More Efficient Program Launch Include…

Avoiding Rigid Schedules

Adjusting Voting Mechanisms



19

SECTION

2

Marketing Online Programs to Grow and Scale



20

Live Poll

What challenge do you most commonly encounter when marketing your online programs?

• Differentiating our institution from regional competitors

• Identifying and reaching right-fit prospects

• Ensuring our marketing messages resonate with students

• Addressing students’ concerns about online learning

• Other (please tell us in the chat)



21

Associate Vice President of Marketing for Online Programs, Private University in the Northeast

Competition is extremely intense in the online space. Local competition still plays a role, but in recent years, we’re competing with large, dominant online players.”

median total OpEx for all four-year institutions, 2017

$139M

$117M

$88M

$17M

Southern New

Hampshire

University

Grand Canyon

University

Western

Governors

University

Liberty

University

$87M

Large Players Spending More Annually on Marketing than Most Institutions’ OpEx

Dollar amount each institution spent on advertising and promotion1, 2017



22Leave No Stone Unturned in Your Targeting Strategy

Use a Range of New and Emerging Sources to Identify Prospective Students

• Current undergraduate students

• Young alumni

• Stop-outs

• Institution’s inquiry pool

• Application starters

• Test-taker lists

• First-party digital targeting

• Phi Theta Kappa lists

• National Student Clearinghouse

• National consumer databases

Students Familiar to Your Institution Students Identified Via:

Pilot New Sources of Prospective Students

In addition to using the sources above, EAB is currently testing sources including…

Cappex for Adult LearnersNursingYouTube



23

Decision Awareness Consideration

But No Two Students Have the Same Journey to Enrollment

Prospective Online Students Rarely Take a Linear Path to Enrollment



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Intent Marketing for the Student Journey

Market According to Student Intent

Jonathan, Working Parent Seeking a Promotion

Jon would like to pursue an MBA but is concerned about balancing school with work and family.

ABC University targets Jon on LinkedIn given career profile.

Jon gets an email about ABC U’s online MBA with a testimonial from a student who is a working parent. He engages.

Jon submits his application for the online program.

Jon takes ABC U’s quick survey—he shares his concerns with balancing family and work.

Jon receives personalized messages from admissions and ads that remind him of upcoming deadlines.

Awareness Stage

Consideration Stage

Decision Stage

Application Stage

Jonathan’s Six-Month Journey



25Proactively Address Students’ Concerns About Online

“Our online programs provide personal attention from faculty as well as opportunities for meaningful interactions with your peers.”

“Our online programs use the same accredited, rigorous curriculum and world-class faculty as our on-campus programs.”

“Graduates of our online program gain the same competitive edge as in-person learning, leading to strong success rates in a variety of fields.”

“From day one at Nelson U, you will receive 24/7 access to the technical, academic, and financial support you need to succeed.”

Building Relationships with Faculty and Peers

Course Quality

Employer Perception

Student Support and Engagement



26Serving and Supporting Your Online Students

You Can Support Your Online Student By…

Making the Basics Routine

Build knowledge base of FAQs for self-help and aggregate important links and resources in one place

Lowering the Cost of 24/7

Employ students for late-night, off-site shifts using live chat

Moving Beyond the Phone

Use live chat for speedier troubleshooting and to use the communication methods students most often prefer

Achieving Scale

Use existing LMS partnerships to outsource staff or time-intensive service provision

Top Criteria Mean

Online support services 3.70

Length of program/Time required for degree completion 3.69

Full-time program 3.69

Student support services 3.49

Available Support Services Impact Students’ Enrollment Decisions

“In terms of your enrollment decision, please indicate the importance of the following factors.”



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Key Takeaways

1 Online program design can be an important driver of success

2 Rigorously analyze employer demand—and consider competitors regionally and nationally

3 Build partnerships on campus to better navigate the program development process

5 Prioritize developing support services for online students

4 Marketing according to student intent to maximize the return on your marketing investments



28What’s Next?

Receive a copy of our new white paper, featuring insight about students’ growing interest in online

Request today’s presentation

Register for our upcoming webinar to hear how one university is growing enrollment across their graduate portfolio



29

Interested in More?

I’d like to speak further about…

1 Identifying online, graduate, or adult education programs to launch or refresh

2 Optimizing online or other adult-serving programs for growth

3 Building intent-based marketing campaigns

4 Crafting marketing messages which address students’ concerns about online learning

5 Supporting online student success



30

Q&A

Thank You for Joining Us!

Please take our brief webinar exit poll

Will Lamb, Ph.D.

Dean, Graduate and Adult Learner Recruitment

[email protected]

Tess Wallenstein

Associate Director

[email protected]


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Washington DC Richmond Birmingham Minneapolis New York Chicago

202-747-1000 eab.com

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